What are the differences among the diagnostic terms “post concussion syndrome,” “posttraumatic stress disorder,” and “brain damage”?
“Post concussion syndrome” refers to a set of often-reported symptoms that occur, and often linger for weeks or months, following traumatic brain injury, mild or otherwise. Post concussion symptoms may be due to either brain injury or soft tissue injury, or both. The syndrome includes headache, dizziness, concentration difficulty, memory failures, irritability, mental dullness, fatigue and weakness, light or sound hypersensitivity, sleep difficulty, depression, and loss of self-confidence. “Post-traumatic stress disorder” is a diagnostic term referring, specifically, to an emotional (anxiety-based) disorder caused by a psychologically intense event, and usually does not (but can) accompany post concussion syndrome, especially if the person remembers some horrifying aspect of an injury event. The term “trauma” in this case refers to emotional, not physical, impact. “Brain damage” is a general term referring to any injury to brain tissue from any cause. 8. How is the diagnosis of traumat
